Corn-shelling attachment for tworow corn pickers



Dec. 4, 1951 M. J. MITCHELL CORN-SHELLING ATTACHMENT FOR TWO-ROW CORN PICKERSI 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ffiled Oct. 18, 1946' NNN Dec. 4, 1951- M. J, MITCHELL 1 CORN-STELLING ATTACHMENT FOR Two-Row CORN PICKERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 Dec. 4, 1951 M L M|THE| 2,577,349

ROW CORN PICKERS CORN-SHELLING ATTACHMENT FOR TWO- 3 sheets-sheet s Filed OCT.. 18, 1946 Patented Dec. 4, 1951 CORN- SHELLING ATTACHMENT FOR TWO- ROW CORN PICKERS Melville J. Mitchell, Highland Park, Ill., assigner to International Harvester Company,a corporation of New Jersey Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 704,194

(Cl. 13D-6) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved tractor-mounted corn sheller and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means for attaching a multiple cylinder corn sheller on the rear of a tractor having a corn picker mounted forwardly thereof and feeding the snapped ears of corn directly therefrom to the corn shelling cylinders.

An important object of this invention is to provide a corn shelling attachment for tractormounted corn pickers which shells the ears of corn picked from a pair of rows by separate shelling cylinders and which transports the shelled grain to a position centrally of the two shelling cylinders.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a single means for removing the husks from a dual cylinder corn sheller.

A still further object is to provide means for removing the shelled cobs and other trash associated with the shelling corn laterally at the sides of the machine, after rst carrying the ears K of corn inwardly to a central position between the two shelling units.

Another and still further object of this invention 1s to provide a unit construction of a corn sheller to be used singly or in .pairs dependent upon whether mounted with a one row or two row corn picker.

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view partially in section of the tractor-mounted corn sheller of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the sheller attachment of this invention as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral I indicates generally a farm tractor or the like, the rear portions of which are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Tractors of this type have relatively small front steerable wheels and large rear traction wheels as shown at I I. These large traction wheels are positioned at the outer end of a drive axle I2 having a housing I3 mounted thereover. The axle housing I3 is utilized for attaching implements on the tractor. In the present instance a two-row corn picker is attached to the tractor I0 andhas spaced,

wardly of these conveyors I4 and I5 are snapping units which snap the ears of corn from the stalks either when they are standing or after they have been severed. The snap-ping units for each row are separate from one another, and each is capable of delivering the snapped ears of corn to a position rearwardly of the tractor as shownv by the discharge opening of the elevating conveyors I4 and I5. Shields I6 and Il define the openings in the conveyors I4 and I5, respectively, and direct ears of corn downwardly into spaced hoppers rearwardlyextending conveyors I4 and I5..v For.- :.55

I 8 and I9 on the co-rn shelling attachment unit.

A corn shelling attachment housing 20 is removably attached to the rear of the tractor I0 by means of a supporting structure including brackets 2I fastened to the axle housing I3 and a rearwardly extending supporting member -22 which has a rearwardly opening socket 23 for the reception of a tubular engaging member 24 on the corn Sheller 20. The upper forward end of the corn Sheller is equipped with a bracket 25 which is joined to the bracket 2| by means of an adjustable connecting link 26. In order to strengthen the support of the corn sheller to the tractor, an additional brace or connecting link 21 is extended from the point 28 on the vertical bracket 2l downwardly and rearwardly to a point of connection 29 immediately forward of the open end socket 23. A further connecting link 30 joins the upper end of the corn sheller 20 with the under side of the elevators I4 and l5 of the corn picker.

The hoppers I8 and I9 are formed in the sides of the housing 20. The ears of corn drop from the conveyor I4 into the hopper I8 and from the conveyor I5 into the hopper i9. The material in each of these hoppers is then fed toward the center of the machine by axially aligned screw conveyors 3l and 32. Each of these screw conveyors 3| and 32 feeds the ears of corn into shelling cylinders 33 and 34, respectively, which are mounted on a common shaft 'l1 along with the aligned screw conveyors 3| and 32, the entire assembly being conveniently termed a transverse cylinder structure. The cylinders 33 and 34 have projections 35 and 36, respectively, to cooperate with a cylinder concave 3l, as best shown in Figure 3, to effectively remove the kernels of corn from the cob. The concaves 31 and 38 extend around the entire periphery ofthe shelling cylinders 33 and 34 respectively.

The shelling cylinders and concave are relatively standard. As best shown in Figure 1 a par,- tition 39 is positioned at the inner endsof the concaves 3l and 38 and projects upwardly from sages 4I and 42. A suction fan 43 is positioned l within the chamber defined by the passages 4| and 42 and is adapted to create a suction on these two adjacent passages. The suction fan 43 is designed to draw in husks and other light trash, but the cobs are sufficiently heavy so that they pass downwardly through these passages in spite of the upward suction. The suction fan 43 has an upwardly extending discharge nozzle 45, as best shown in Figure 4, which is directed rearwardly so that husks and trash drawn in thrcugh the fan openings 45 and propelled upwardly by the fan blade 45 will be expelled rearwardly of the tractor-mounted corn sheller through the nozzle 44.

The stripped cobs fall downwardly through the passages 4D and 4| onto an inverted U-shaped shield 41 having arms 48 and 49 which project down into both of these passages. The shield 51 deiiects the dropping cobs over onto shaker pans 59 and 5|. Sha-ker pan 53 is suspended cn a pair of links 52 and 53 and the shaker pan 5l is similarly suspended on a pair of links 54 and 55.

'These links 52, 53, 54 and 55 are hingedly attached at their lower ends to the shaker pans and project upwardly to hinge attachments on the housing structures of the corn Sheller The shaker pans 59 and 5| are agitated or driven by pitmans 55 and 51 which are attached substantially at the points of attachment of the links 52 and 55 to the pans 59 and 5|, respectively, and extendinwardly toward the center cf the machine where they are mounted on eccentric drive pins 58 and 59. These eccentric pins 58 and 59 are mounted on gears 59 and 8|, respectively, which are driven by a pinion 52 engaging both of these gears 98 and 5|. As the pinion gear 92 is driven, the gears 59 and 5| will be driven simultaneously and the shaker pans 59 and 5| will be caused to move outwardly and inwardly as the eccentric pins 58 and 59 rotate about their circular path of' travel. The shaker pans receive the cobs falling down through the passages 49 and 4| over the deflector shield 41, and by means 'of saw-teeth 63 the cobs are carried transversely outwardly of the machine. The shaking motion of the pan acts to additionally complete the shelling of the ear so that when the cobs reach the outer ends of the pans 59 and 5i they are completely stripped of all kernels. Each Vof the pans 59 and 5| has an upwardly inclined end portion 54 and 65, respectively, insuring that no grain shall be carried over the ends of the shaker pans. Discharge openings 95 and 51 are provided adjacent the ends of each of the upwardly inclined ends 64 and 55 of the shaker pans.

As the kernels of corn arestripped from the ears in the two shelling chambers, the loose kernels of corn drop down through the bottom of the concaves 31 and 33 and thereupon onto and -through the shaker pans and thence down onto 18. rlhese conveyors carrythe shelled corn'centrally of the machine to a wagon elevator 19. This elevator is best shown in Figures 1 and 4 wherein it is evident that the conyevor includes an endless chain 1| having flights 12 adapted to scoop up the kernels of corn discharged by the augers 68 and 69 and elevate it against the bottom of the elevator housing. Certain trash and dirt particles pass downwardly through the bottoms of the concaves 31 and 38 and hence are not exhausted by the suction fan 43. The final part of this dirt passes directly downwardly through the apertured shaker pans 59 and 5|. Another fan 13 positioned within a housing 14 is adapted to blow air Voutwardly through nozzles 15 and 16 beneath and along the Shaker pans 58 and 5|, respectively. The blast of air created by this fan 13 is sufficient to carry small particles of dirt over the auger conveyors 58 and 59 and discharge it at the sides through the openings 66 and 61. However, the fan13 does not affect the falling of the relatively heavy kernels of shelled corn into the augers 58 and The drive for the various elements in this corn shelling attachment is received from the power take-off shaft 19 extending rearwardly from the tractor I8. A sprocket 89 is mounted on the power-driven shaft 19 and imparts drive to a chain 8l which extends down and around a sprocket 82 and up and over a sprocket 83 as shown in Figures l and 2. The sprocket 32 is fastened to a shaft 84 carrying a bevel gear S5 which drives a bevel gear 85 mounted on the end of the shaft 18. The shaft 18, as previously stated, carries the auger convey-ors 58 and 89. The auger flights are arranged in such a manner that although the common shaft 19 rotates in just one direction the conveyors feed in epposite directions toward each other and toward the center of the machine so that shelled corn is carried centrally of the corn Sheller to the wagon elevator 18 which also has its elevating flights 12 driven by rotation of the shaft 13.

The sprocket 83 is mounted on a shaft 81 which additionally carries a bevel gear G9. This bevel gear 88 imparts rotational drive at right angles to a `bevel gear 89 mounted on the shaft 11 carrying the augers 3| and 32 and the shelling rotors 33 and 34.

A second sprocket 99 is mounted on the drive shaft 19 spaced from the sprocket 80 and imparts drive to a chain 9| which extends around sprockets 92, 93, and 94. The sprocket 93 is mounted on a shaft 95. This shaft 95 additionally carries a bevel gear 95 engaging another bevel gear 91 at right angles thereto. This bevel gear is fastened to a shaft 98 which is mounted on its other end to a sprocket 99. A chain |99 transmits rotational drive from the sprocket 99 to a sprocket |0|. This sprocket lill is mounted on a shaft |02 which as best shown in Figure 4 carries a suction fan 43. i

The ysprocket 94 is carried on a shaft |93. Another V-belt pulleyV |04 is keyed or otherwise fastened to this shaft |93, and by means of a V- belt |05 drive is carried to a v-belt pulley |95. This V-belt pulley is fastened to a shaft |91 which carries the cleaning fan 13.

In operation the machine of this invention passes through a corn field whereupon the ears are snapped and elevated by the conveyors i4 and l5 and the snapped Vears dropped into the hoppers I8 and I9 respectively. At that point the Y ears from the` adjacent rows are moved inwardly toward each other by the screw-conveyors 3| 'and 32. After leaving these screw conveyors the ears enter the shelling chambers having therein shelling cylinders 33 and 34 and annular concaves 31 and 38. The ears of corn have their husks and kernels removed in this chamber. The removal is occasioned by the rubbing of the projections or lugs 39 against the surface of the ears and also the rubbing of the ears against each other. The grain or kernels of corn are dropped downwardly through the spaces between the concave bars and thereupon fall onto and I through the shaker pans 50 and 5I. The substantially stripped cobs and husks pass upwardly and inwardly through the apertures 40 into the passages 4| and 42 which communicate directly with the fan for removing the husks which are drawn in and thrown upwardly and rearwardly of the machine through the discharge nozzle 44. The cobs are sufficiently heavy so that the suction created by the fan 43 has no eiect on them and they fall onto the deector 41 having the spaced inclined walls 48 and 49. The cobs therefore fall onto the shaker pans 50 and 5|, and the reciprocating movements of the shaker pans 50 and 5| with the aid of the saw teeth 63 cause the cobs to be moved outwardly, thus causing a complete stripping of any kernels remaining on the cobs. The cobs ride up and over the upwardly inclined ends 64 and B5 and thereupon out the openings 69 and G'l. The fan 13 provides cleaning chambers beneath the shaker pans 50 and 5l by creating the outward blast of air thereacross thus carrying particles of dirt and other light trash to the sides of the machine and out the discharge openings 66 and 61 along with the discharge of the stripped cobs. cleaned grain then drops into the auger conveyors 68 and 69 where it is carried centrally to a wagon elevator and elevated to a trailing wagon (not shown).

Numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein, and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.k

What is claimed is:

1. A corn sheller comprising a housing structure, a sheller cylinder structure mounted substantially across the entire housing structure, a pair of sheller rotors in axial alignment mounted in said sheller cylinder structure, a hopper at each side of said structure positioned to receive snapped ears at spaced locations, said sheller rotors having means for feeding snapped ears axially toward the center of the sheller cylinder structure, a sheller rotor concave surrounding the lower portion of each end of the sheller cylinder structure, shaker screens mounted in said housing and positioned beneath each of said concaves, a fan means provided in said housing with oppositely disposed discharge openings at the center portion of the sheller cylinder structure beneath said shaker means, means whereby shelled grain is delivered to an intermediate point of the sheller The shelled .a

cylinder structure, conveyor means for elevating said shelled grain, a suction fan positioned intermediate said sheller rotors, said suction fan being adapted to remove husks and other lightweight foreign material directly from the sheller rotors, means to permit the cobs and other such material to drop downwardly onto the shaker screens, and said housing structure having openings at the outer ends of the shaker screens to discharge material other than grain and ne material delivered thereto, said fan means being effective to discharge the ne material other than the grain.

2. A corn sheller comprising a housing structure, a shelling cylinder structure mounted substantially across the entire housing structure, a pair of sheller rotors in axial alignment mounted in said shelling cylinder structure, a hopper at each side of said shelling cylinder structure positioned to receive snapped ears at spaced locations, said sheller rotors having auger conveyor extensions projecting into said hoppers and arranged and constructed for feeding snapped ears axially into the sheller rotors toward the center of the shelling cylinder structure, a sheller rotor concave surrounding the lower portion of each end of the shelling cylinder structure, shaker screensl positioned beneath each of said sheller rotor concaves, a fan means provided on said housing structure with oppositely disposed discharge openings at the center portion of the shelling cylinder structure beneath said shaker means, auger conveyors positioned under each of said shaker screens and arranged and constructed to convey material toward each other, means whereby shelled grain is delivered to an intermediate point of the shelling cylinder structure, conveyor means for elevating said shelled grain, a suction fan positioned intermediate said sheller rotors, said suction ian being adapted to remove husks and other light-weight foreign material directly from the sheller rotors, means to permit the cobs and other such material to drop downwardly onto the shaker screens, and said housing structure having openings at the outer ends of the shaker screens to discharge material other than grain and ne material delivered thereto, said fan means being eiective to discharge the ne Inaterial other than the grain.

MELVILLE J. MITCHELL.

`REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,144 Hanneman July 10, 1923 1,651,037 Mitchell Nov. 29, 1927 1,968,998 Elliott Aug. 7, 1934 2,073,302 Gilman Mar. 9, 1937 2,299,925 Paradise et al. Oct. 27, 1942 2,399,740 Hyman May 7, 1946 2,443,031 Gerber June 8, 1948 

